Gameday 6 - The Grimsby Derby...

So, it's come to pass. Another Derby Day gone and another classic battle over. What started out as the promise of glory for one half of Grimsby, and thorough despair for the other, turned out to be neither.

4-4-2 to start for GFC as we would stay well balanced to see what Thistle was in the mood for that afternoon. Temperature in the high 20's and sunny, I donned my faux-Tilly hat to protect my now follically-challenged heed. I may have been the butt of jokes to start the match -cracks about gardening in the 6-yard box and a few g'day mate's - but by the conclusion, I was stylish AND shaded. That and the fact the ref thought it was sharp too. Not bad eh. It's not easy being this clever you know.

Evan Shawn
Steve Serge Neil Ang
Chuck Eric Marcel Andy
Me

Conservative to start but that would change as the game wore on. Always going to be a chippy affair this fixture as it has been heated to say the least over the last few years. A couple of niggly little challenges, a few well-chosen expletives and the odd shoulder charge - temper temper - but that was really all the nastiness for the day. A very sporting game against a very gentlemanly competition - the way it should be.

Thistle opened up the scoring on 25 minutes or so. After a good spell of back and forth, myself and my two central defenders decided to make a hash of things. A long ball over the head of the back line saw Thistle hitman Andy Gallagher force his way thru both Marcel and Eric and get onto the end of the ball. I came out to challange but held up realizing that I wasn't going to get there one time. Marcel and Eric, waiting for my call, didn't deal with the danger and Gally clinically finished low and to my right. Every single game he manages to score against us. Predatory finish and well deserved.

The second half saw the second yellow for Thistle full back Paul Zadvorny in his petulance by kicking the ball away in disgust after a decision went to GFC. That's always going to be a yellow and ref's love giving a card for such actions - no choice for the ref really.

Down to 10 men, Thistle set up to hit us on the counter and it happened only twice with any real menace that I can recall. The game was in their end for the majority of time and continued GFC pressure finally bore fruit as Dave Timperio and Ollie Resovac combined for a thunderous tying goal - Ollie with the final touch. 1-1 and the match was ours to win but stubborn Thistle resistance and impeccable goalkeeping from Dave Green saw the match end as it started.

We're back in action July 13th vs. Saltfleet United at Sherwood Park. Stay tuned...

Oh, and please note that our favorite adversaries have their own site you can visit for info regarding games and player write ups. Cheers boys.

al